Hospitals have been hit by staff shortages and cyberattacks

The Federation of Hospitals, in collaboration with the consultancy firm Antares Evidenze Health Consulting, has carried out a study to assess the sustainability of Luxembourg’s healthcare system. Sylvain Vitali, Deputy Director of the Federation, reported that the findings are based on consultations with healthcare institutions and ministries, as well as on 72 responses received from staff and patient surveys. The analysis identified two main threats to the sector: a growing shortage of staff and an increase in cyberattacks. In total, the experts identified 17 key areas requiring immediate action. Last week, the findings were officially presented to the Minister for Health, Martine Deprez.

One of the most pressing issues remains the shortage of qualified staff in roles that are critical to the running of hospitals. Sylvain Vitali noted that salary levels are not the only factor determining the attractiveness of working in the medical sector. To attract specialists, particularly foreign doctors with many years of specialist training, it is necessary to develop opportunities for professional development, research and teaching. To compensate for the staff shortage, the authors of the report recommend continuing to recruit healthcare workers from abroad, whilst simultaneously expanding training programmes within Luxembourg itself.

At the same time, the healthcare system faces a serious vulnerability to the growing number of cyber-attacks. A breach of hospitals’ IT infrastructure could bring their operations to a standstill for an extended period. To minimise risks, healthcare organisations are advised to invest in robust security systems, regularly back up their data and develop clear procedures for the rapid recovery of critical systems. However, Sylvain Vitali emphasised that specific details of preparations for potential cyber-attacks are not disclosed to the public for security reasons, to prevent this information from being exploited by malicious actors.